Crate carton



April 16, 1935. H. WOERNER, JR 1,997,667

CRATE CARTON Filed Dec. 10, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENVENTOR- H572 Woer'nez'J}:

MM 3- ATTQRNEY- P 6, 935. H. WOERNER, JR 1,997,667

CRATE CARTON Filed Dec. 10, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 (D g n N Q 1:, g. 1

Patented Apr.. 16, 1935 PATENT "OF F ICE 1,997,667 CRATE CARTON Henry Wcerner, '.lr., Flushing, N."Y., assignor to Robert Gair Company, .Inc., NewlYork, N. 'Y., a corporation of'Delaware Application December 10, 1932,:Serial No. 646,586

14 Claims. (01129-39) This invention relates to containers, crates or basketsand has particular reference to an 1mprovedcontainer for boxes of the berry or fruit carrying type. A,

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a strong and very light unitary andcollapsible structure which, capable of being packed, as in bulk, inflat condition for shipment tofruit growers and other users, may be quickly and readily erected into arigid structure, where required, without tools, binding means or other accessories.

As herein disclosed the device is constructed from a sheet of fibre board or paste board of the reinforced or corrugated type, which is cut and I provided with fold lines, and in order to insure.

great strength in the assembled or set up device a feature of the invention is a bottom of mutually interlocking sections.

These sections are continuous along their en tire outer edges with the opposed front and rear side walls, and with the opposed lateral or end walls of thedevice or container. The sections of the front and rear walls have mutually engaging centrally disposed edges, which extend along the entire length of the device between theend walls;

and end edges which engage the inner faces of said latter walls. The sections of the end walls have'edges which engage the inner faces, of the front and rear walls, and the respective sections are interlocked, as aforesaid. 1

Other features of the invention reside in a novel top closure. Connected with the foregoing, this top or cover is also of great strength; and a still further feature of the unitary structure is a novel locking means which is incorporated in the cover and end walls.

Said closure includes end flaps, as well as a pair of sections which are continuous with the front and rear wall, and each of these, relative to the container; is independently manipulable, which is an advantage, since the container, as when carrying berry boxes, is necessarily used as a display device, to secure a further objectof the invention.

To this end, a front section may be moved or opened independently to expose one or two berry boxes, at the center of a line of the latter, thus keepingthe others closed and in a sanitary condition. A front flap may be opened separately at one end of the line to expose another box, and at the other end of the line of boxes the other flap may be opened in like manner, thereby ex posing the whole of the .line selectively. As indi-,

cated, the rear side is like thefront.

As herein disclosed the device includes a front row or line of four boxes, and a like rear row,

. making one tier. Then two like tiers are disposed above the first, making twodozen boxes, so that the container maybe easily handled, hand grips beingprovided, by one person.

'With'the above indicated objects in view, and others which will hereinafter appear, the es-. 'sential features of the present construction .are herein clearly described and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

JFig. 1 is a plan view of the blank out of which the container is formed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom edge elevation of the blank in initially folded condition, or as usually folded for being shipped;

'Fig. 3 illustrates in open perspective thestruci ture of Fig. 2,'this being before the setting 'up operation; 7

Figs. -4 and 5 are fragmentary perspectives in which progressive steps in setting up the bottom structure areillustrated;

Fig. 6.is a fragmentary detail view which shows general end arrangements;

Fig. 7 .is' an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view. This structure is also seen, on a smaller scale,at.the left hand end of Fig. 11;

Fig. Bis atop .plan view of the closed device;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line '99 ofFig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on the ,line ll-ll of Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a perspective of a box holder'or crate segment; and

Fig. 13 illustrates modified structure.

Similar characters of reference are applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

.Struck out of or otherwise formed from a single sheet, a blank of fibre board includes a front wall If) anda'rear wall ll, between which, as in the set up position of the device, are end walls I2, 13. Fold or crease .lines l4, l5, l6- are provided between the respective end and side walls, and a continuous fold line I! is disposed along the bottom of these walls to provide sections l8, I9, which extend from the front and rear walls, and sections 20, 2|, continuous with the end walls.

As shown in the initially folded or double, flat condition, Fig. 2, the edges of the front wall If) and end'wall [.3 are attached .by a textile or linen strip or stay 22, which is best shown in Fig. 10. To setup thecontainer from this fiat condition the opposed walls are opened or moved apart, as shown in .Fig. 3, and then the end section 26, which is provided with a recess 23, is folded inwardly, following which the rear section I9 is also folded inwardly. See Fig. 4. On moving this latter section inwardly, its extension 24 is inserted in said recess.

The front bottom section II is then also moved inwardly and its extension 25, see Fig. 5, is also moved into the recess 23. Crease lines 24', 25 facilitate this movement.

During this setting up operation, at one end H of the device, the members at the opposite end l3, including extensions 26, 21 of the sections l9, I6 are similarly set up, since the end section 2| is provided with a recess 26 to receive said latter extensions, and crease lines 26 and 21 are also struck into the material. In this position the longitudinally disposed edges 29, 36 of the front and rear sections mutually engage; the opposed edges 3|, 32 and 33, 34 of the end sections engage the inner faces of the front and rear walls; and the end edges of the extensions 24, 25 and 26, 21' of the front and rear sections engage the inner faces of the end,

walls I2, l3.

As seen in Fig. 5, these end extensions, as 24, 25, by virtue of the aforesaid engagement with the end walls, snugly engage the top faces of the end sections 26, 2|; and since shoulders or extensions of said end sections, as shown at their recesses 23, 26, firmly grip said extensions 24, 25, 26, 21, this being .at the lines or necks 24' 21' the result is that these interlocking bottom parts tend to hold the vertical walls, as l6 and I3, in position, independently of said strip or stay 22.

Moreover, this structure, including the detail of edges given, obviously opposes torsional stresses, The sections 6, l9, while single or not overlapped, are strong and compact, and their end portions or seats 35, 36, 31, 36 form supports for the outer portions of the end sections 2|, 22.

A slight modification of bottom structure isiliustrated in Fig. 13. In this case a slot 23' in an end section 26', takes the place of a dovetailed recess. An extension 24 is easily movable into the slot, and then the second extension, as 25, to be inserted, being wider at the outer than at the inner end, is first moved into the slot in overlapping relation with the exten sion 24; but when said extension 25 is completely inserted in the slot, the structures move into single condition, and the edges 29, 36 engage, as already shown in Fig. 5. The end wall |3 may be provided with a section like the section 26'.

Opposite the fold line l1, and at the top of the container, is a continuous score line 39, which provides 'front and rear top sections 46, 4| and top end flaps 42, 43, and 44, 45; and extending along these flaps and sections is another score line 46, so that extensions 41, 46 are formed on said sections, and. extensions 49, 56, 5|, 52 on said flaps.

As at present illustrated the device is arranged to carry twenty four berry boxes, as 53, 54, and these are arranged in three tiers of eight each, there being four boxes in a line, and two lines in a tier. Above the bottom tier is a cover 55, of corrugated fibre board, which also forms a support or bottom for the second tier; and above the last mentioned tier is a second slab or cover 56, .which forms a support or bottom for the top tier of boxes.

In order to hold these boxes individually on their bottom supporting means, a holder, spacer or crate segment, is provided on each bottom support. One of these holders, which includes a central or divisional strip 51, and cooperating transversely disposed spaced members, as 56, is shown separately in Fig. 12. These transverse and longitudinally disposed members are provided with cooperating slots 59, 66 to allow of easy assembly or collapse.

To cover the top tier of boxes, see Figs. 6-8, 11, the end fiaps 4245 are first turned in, followed by one or both of the top sections 46, 4|. In each of the extensions 41, 46 are three slots, each alike and numbered 6|. These slots, in the closed position of the cover, fit the members 56, so that the latter are prevented from moving, to hold the boxes individually. The central members 51 of the holders, as between the lower tiers of boxes, also prevent the members 56, and therefore the boxes, from moving or engaging one with another.

Finger openings 52, 63, 64, 65 in the end walls provide hand grip portions at the top of said walls, whereby the container may be moved or carried. Struck out of these walls, between said openings, and provided with integral hinges by score lines, as shown, are keepers 66, 61.

In the opposed ends of the extensions 41 and 46 are notches 66, which are alike, and when these extensions are moved down to the closed position, Figs. 7, 11, the keepers 66, 61, which are normally flush with the surfaces of the ends l2, l3, are moved into said notches, whereby to lock the sections 46, 4| in the closed position. This locking action is very secure, to withstand rough usage without disengagement, since the angles of the shoulders, which are provided by the notches, as shown, are acute. The flaps 42, 43 and 44, 45 with their extensions, are spaced apart to facilitate insertion of the extensions 41, 46.

As the berry boxes are only to be opened by authorized persons who understand operation of the locking means, the latter are very appropriate and may not be detected by other persons. Notches of the mating extensions 41, 46 register in adjoining relation at the keepers so that one of the latter, at each end, holds both extensions. To open the locking means one fin ger of a user is inserted-in an opening at each end, as at 62, to urge the keepers outwardly; then both top sections may be opened, but the keepers also hold one section alone in the closed opening a cover section, as 46, only two boxes are exposed for display, and all the others are securely covered. Then the flaps 42, 45 may be opened or moved separately, as desired, and the operation may be repeated on the other side of the structure, with the section 4| and associated flaps, to expose the complete top tier. The covers or supports 56, 55 engage between the opposed walls with a loose fit, so that they are easy to insert or remove.

Considerable particularities of description, as to detail of parts, capacities and utilities are hereinbefore stated, but it is understoodv that these statements, made with particular reference to the structure now preferred, of the different variations of the invention which are contemopposed end walls; a bottom including side sections, which extend from the first mentioned walls, and having coacting edges engaged along the central" line of the carton, said sections having therein inclined slits which extend inwardly from the bottom corners of the end walls; and end sections extending from the second mentioned walls and disposed in said slits, said latter-sections having dovetailed recesses in their inner ends whereby to grip said side sections at the inner ends of said slits.

2. A carton comprising a sheet of fibre board having opposed side walls, and opposed end walls; j

a bottom including side sections which extend from the first mentioned walls and which have coacting edges engaged along the central line of the carton, said sections having therein inclined slits which extend inward from the bottom corners of the end walls, the end edges of said sections being engaged against said end walls; and end sections extending from the second mentioned walls and disposed in said slits, said latter sections having dovetailed recesses in their inner ends whereby to lockingly embrace the'side secedges, whereby to provide narrow mating necks;'

and sections extending from said end walls and having their side edges engaging said side walls, said latter sections having therein transverse openings, said openings having at least part of their boundary edges engaged against said necks, so as to hold said abutting edges engaged.

4. In a fibre board container having front and 'rear walls and opposed end walls, a top cover having a section hingedly connected with one of the first mentioned walls, an extension carried by said section and movable downwardly between said end walls, said extension having notches therein, which are distant from said section'and hinged keepers carried by said end walls and movable into said notches whereby to hold said section in the closed position, said keepers being distant from the tops of said end walls.

5. In a container comprising one sheet of fibre board having opposed front and rear walls, interposed end walls, a cover including a pair of sections which are hingedly carried by the first mentioned walls, extensions continuous with said sections and movable downwardly between said end walls for mutual closed engagement, said extensions having in the ends thereof registering notches, and hinged keepers carried by said end walls and movable into said notches, there being one keeper for each pair of the notches,

whereby to hold said extensions in the closed position.

6. In a fibre board box which includes one sheet comprising a bottom and having opposed front and rear walls, interposed end wallshaving finger grip openings therein, a top closure having a pair of sections hingedly connected with the first mentioned walls, mutually engaging extensions carried by said sections and movable downwardly between said end walls whereby to dispose said sections in closing position, and means for releasably locking said extensions to the last mentioned walls, said means including hinged keepers on said endwalls, which releasably cooperate with the ends of said extensions, one of said openings being adapted for insertion of a finger of a user therethrough to release said keepers;

'7. In a box comprising one sheet of fibre board having opposed front and rear Walls and interposed end wall, said end walls having finger grip openings therein, a cover having a pair of sections hingedly connected with the first mentioned walls, extensions carried by said sections 'and movable into mutual engagement between said end walls, said extensions having therein terminal notches, keepers hingedly carried by said end walls between said openings for engaging in said notches whereby to releasably hold said sections in the closed position, said openings being adapted for movement of the fingers of a user therethrough to release said keepers. v 8. In a container of the class described, a sheet of fibre board which is cut and providedwith fold lines to form opposed front and'rearwalls, interposed end walls, a cover having opposed walls, opposed top sections continuous with the first mentioned walls and movable into closed space-d flaps continuous with'each of said end position over said flaps, extensions carried by said sections and movable downwardly in engaged. relation in the spaces between said flaps, said.

extensions having terminal notches therein, said notches being distant from said sections,' and hinged keepers formed with said end walls and movable into said notches whereby to hold said of said end walls and one of the first mentioned walls, a cover having opposed spaced flaps con- 4 tinuous with said end walls, opposed sections continuouswith the first mentioned walls, and movable into closed position over said flaps, extensions carried by said sections and movable downwardly in engaged relation in the spaces between said flaps, said extensions having terminal notches therein, and hinged keepers formed with said end walls and movable into said notches whereby to hold said sections in the closed position.

10. In a shipping carton for berry boxes comprising a sheet of material having a bottom, opposed end walls, opposed side walls, and a holder including a longitudinally disposed strip and coacting transverse strips for individually separating the boxes into two lines;

said sections adapted to cover at least one box at the end of a line, there being at least one interposed uncovered box in each of the lines; means for holding said sections in the covering position, said means including integral extensions which are bendable downwardly from said sections for engagement between the boxes and associated transverse strip; and means for covering the aforesaid uncovered boxes; said latter means including side sections which are hingedly continuous with the second mentioned walls, and integral extensions bendable downwardly from said side sections and engageable between said longitudinally disposed strip and the associated boxes, whereby to also hold said side sections in closed position.

11. In combination with a holder for berry boxes comprising vertically disposed transverse spaced strips of fibre board, said strips adapted to secure at least two lines of boxes therebetween; a sheet of fibre board including longitudinal walls which engage opposite ends of said strips, transverse walls continuous with the first walls at certain edges thereof, hinged keepers' integral with said end walls below their top edges; sections continuous with said walls and forming a fiat bottom below the holder; a pair of hingedly movable top sections continuous with the first mentioned walls and extending inwardly over the lines of boxes, and downwardly turned extensions continuous with said top sections and having edge slots therein so as to engage said strips at the longitudinal central line of the holder, said extensions having notches in the opposite ends thereof below said top sections whereby to receive said keepers for holding said top sections closed.

12. In combination with a holder for berry boxes comprising a longitudinal strip, spaced strips having portions on opposite sides of the first strip for individually securing boxes in two lines, there being cooperating slots in said strips; a sheet of fibre board including longitudinal walls which engage the opposite ends of the transverse strips, end walls which engage the opposite ends of said longitudinal strip, hinged keepers integral with said end walls below their top edges; sections integral with said walls and forming a flat bottom for the holder; a pair of hinged top sections continuous with the first mentioned walls and extending inwardly to cover the lines of boxes, and extensions continuous with said top sections and turned downwardly therefrom between said lines, said extensions having notches in the opposite ends thereof, said notches being below said top sections whereby said keepers may be engaged therein to hold said top sections closed.

13. In combination with a holder for berry boxes comprising a set of vertically disposed strips of material including a longitudinally disposed member having on opposite sides thereoi' spaced members, said spaced members being adapted to secure boxes individually therebetween, the boxes being disposed in two lines which form a tier; a second set of strips disposed above the first set for accommodating another tier of boxes; a rectangular slab of relatively stiff material disposed between said sets andhaving its boundary edges registering with the ends of said strips, said slab forming a cover for the boxes of the lower tier and also forming a support for the upper strips with their boxes; and an outer cover consisting of a sheet of fibre board; said cover including longitudinal walls and transverse end walls, said walls engaging said registering edges and ends; coacting sections extending from said walls and forming a bottom below the lower tier; and a top or lid; said top including opposed sections which are continuous with the longitudinal walls, each of said top sections adapted to cover one of the lines of the top tier, said latter sections having flaps extending from their inner margins, said fiaps having therein marginal slots so as to embracingly receive the edge portions of the transverse strips whereby to releasably hold said top sections in covering position.

14. In a box comprising one sheet of fibre board which includes opposed longitudinal walls and opposed transverse end walls; a bottom including. a pair of cooperating lateral sections which are turned inwardly from the first men tioned opposed walls, each of said sections having an area of practically half that of the interior of the box on the horizontal plane thereof sa having in the inner margins thereof dovetailed notches which embrace said narrow portions, the outer marginal parts of said end sections being engaged on the top faces of said seats and said extensions being engaged on the top faces of said end sections.

HENRY WOERNER, JR. 

